2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 V8 Overland

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We cross country in the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 V8 Overland

From boardroom to boondocks

Published in The Witness Motoring on Wednesday June 1, 2011

The old Jeep Grand Cherokee was very capable, but 'grand' was a bit of a misnomer. Even its hardiest fans would admit that it rode a little harshly. And it could have used a bit more space inside. And the old 3.7 litre V6 was just the teeniest bit underpowered. That was then. The new Grand Cherokee is a completely different animal.

It's 135 mm longer, most of it in back-seat legroom and 66 mm wider with 17 percent more cargo space. It has all-wheel independent suspension too. A brand new 3.6 litre 'Pentastar' motor, with significantly more power, looks after those choosing the six-cylinder option. We won't dwell on that though because our test rig was an Overland version fitted with the Mopar multi-displacement 5.7 litre V8.

Continuing in the spirit of complete makeover, the new GC has a more rounded, friendlier, yet still rugged face. The body structure is all new and designed to achieve expected safety performance in global markets (roof-crush, side-impact, and Euro- pedestrian impact standards). It goes without saying that all the usual electronic safety kit is standard as well. Fit, finish and interior appointments were given the magic wand treatment too, but we don't have enough space to deal with all the details. See one at your dealer.

While Chrysler accepts that most SUV buyers simply want a nice, comfy family mover with some off-road capability, it believes there is still a niche for real luxury with genuine down-and-dirty boondocking credentials. Hence the Grand Cherokee - boardroom to boondocks competence with a more realistic price tag than most of the competition.

Part of the Overland specification is Quadralift air suspension with parts co-opted from the previous association with Mercedes Benz and beefed up for Jeep use. Quadralift gives you a choice of four ride heights and a 'loading' level. Users can click these in as required or let the Selec-Terrain system choose what works best for the job at hand. This is rather like the menu found on Range Rovers, with a rotary dial on the centre console. Jeep calls its options 'Sport', 'Snow', 'Auto', 'Sand/Mud' and 'Rock'. For example, 'Sport' switches ESP off and drops the suspension about 15 mm for dynamic use, while 'Rock' moves it up to maximum and engages both 4WD Low and Downhill Crawl.

All this lifting and lowering is controlled by means of air pumped from and to a sealed reservoir, feeding the shocks as required. This brings us to a cry from your local Jeep dealer's heart: Please, please, do not simply jack the vehicle up when a tyre needs to be changed. Leaving the wheelless hub dangling while you scratch around for the spare (full-size, stashed in the boot area, just like a road car) stretches components beyond their design capacities and could cause expensive damage.

Damage that you would have to pay for, by the way, because it comes under 'operator failure' - the owner's handbook covers it. What you need to do before lifting anything is disable the air suspension. Press and hold the 'lift' and 'lower' buttons simultaneously for about ten seconds until the message: "Air suspension temporarily disabled for jacking and tire change" appears on the screen. Both buttons will show one lit led each. To return to normal after the job is done, depress both buttons again until only the led on the 'lift' button glows.

While Quadralift and Selec-Terrain are common to both engine sizes, the other differences between the two Overland models are in drive systems and rear differentials. Quadra Trac ll, fitted to the 3.6, uses a conventional diff and is a single-speed all-wheel-drive system like that in the Mercedes-Benz M-Class. Quadra Drive ll on the V8 offers 4WD with electronic limited-slip at the rear and high and low ranges via transfer case with variable torque split and a locking centre differential.

Interior trim is in leather, with both front seats electrically adjustable for height, tilt, reach, lumbar support and backrest angle. The driver's chair has two memory settings and the steering wheel adjusts electrically. The satnav system incorporates hard drive music storage with USB, iPod and auxiliary inputs and Bluetooth connectivity with voice command capability. Front and rear parking assistance includes a backup camera. As expected, the steering wheel and all seats can be warmed, while those in front can be cooled as well. Push-button starting and keyless entry? Now you're becoming a bore - of course it has.

Other toys include a full-length sunroof, a powered rear door and rear seatbacks that not only recline, but also fold completely flat to increase loading space. Its unibody construction and fully independent suspension makes it very comfortable on dirt. The spare is a full-size 18" steel unit and those planning regular off-road business can order 18" wheels with higher profile tyres to replace the 20-inchers fitted in normal Overland spec.

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This is a one-man show, which means that road test cars entrusted to me are driven only by me. Some reviewers hand test cars over to their partners to use as day-to-day transport and barely experience them for themselves.

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So occasionally a cow, a goat or a horse may add a little local colour by finding its way into the story or one of the pictures. It's all part of the ambience!

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